The HTC Vive is the firm's first virtual reality gadget. (Photo : Twitter)
As part of HTC Corp.'s efforts to diversify its range of products, the renowned smartphone maker is investing in virtual reality (VR) devices, China Daily reported.
According to HTC's CEO and co-founder, Cher Wang, the move comes as the demand for cell phones continue to decline in the global market.
In an exclusive interview with China Daily, Wang noted that the Taiwan-based company will turn its attention to VR devices for the next decade, though it will continue making smartphones.
"Virtual reality will transform the way we interact with the world. We can see enormous business opportunities arising from this disruptive innovation," Wang shared.
The HTC executive also noted that VR devices can offer more colorful experience compared with what phones and computers provide.
Last year on Dec. 18, the firm launched the HTC Vive, its first VR device, in Beijing. The high-definition device, assisted by two location trackers and wireless controllers, can transmit sounds and images to make the virtual world as good as reality for the users.
The head-mounted VR device can attain "real-time interaction between the user and the image-and-hearing effect in a fully immersive, room-scale experience with 360-degree movement," the report pointed out.
The HTC Vive made its debut during the China High-Tech Fair in November in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. It attracted thousands of spectators as it showed off its applications in the fields of online gaming, education and medical care.
Wang also shared that when she was in Beijing, experts told her about the diverse fields, such as surgery, VR devices can be of help. "You can imagine a patient being able to see arteries and blood cells inside the brain with the help of a VR device. It will be easier to convince them to go in for a surgery," she said.
By 2020, the iResearch Consulting Group predicts that the global market value of VR devices will hit $30 billion. 10 percent of this figure is expected to come from head-mounted gadgets such as the HTC Vive.
